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KOSHAN: ‘Tremendous honour’ as Maple Leafs captain John Tavares reaches 1,000 NHL games

Captain John Tavares will play in his 1,000th NHL game when the Maple Leafs play host to the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Captain John Tavares will play in his 1,000th NHL game when the Maple Leafs play host to the Washington Capitals on Sunday. Photo by John E. Sokolowski /USA TODAY Sports

John Tavares figured he would have upward of 70 family and friends in attendance when the Maple Leafs play host to the Washington Capitals on Sunday.

“Quite a few,” the Leafs captain said after practice on Saturday “Probably the most I’ve had in my career.”

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For good reason. 

When the opening faceoff comes just after 5 p.m. at Scotiabank Arena, Tavares will play in his 1,000th National Hockey League game, a milestone that strikes a chord with every member of the Leafs.

“John is a great player and if you look back at his run of 1,000 games, he has been able to produce at an incredible level,” defenceman Morgan Rielly said. “He has accomplishments that he has earned along the way. It will be a great opportunity for him to enjoy a special night.”

In 999 games, Tavares has been nearly a point-a-game player, recording 944 points (412 goals and 532 assists). He will become the 375th player to skate in 1,000 NHL games, nudging past Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn, who also has played in 999 games. The Stars’ next game is not until Feb. 6.

Though Tavares has had to stickhandle through injuries at various times in his career, his ability to remain healthy for the most part has been a key in his march to the milestone. 

“It’s pretty impressive when you watch from a distance just how he goes about (his daily preparation),” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “Through 1,000 games, you don’t slip for a second in terms of your detail and your preparation. That’s why he is as healthy and consistent as he has been.”

While it’s true that Tavares is thankful and grateful for the support he has had throughout his career, and certainly long before he was chosen first overall by the New York Islanders in 2009, believing in himself has been paramount. The best stars in the game take nothing for granted — think of the work that, for example, Sidney Crosby does every day — and Tavares would be at, or near, the top of that list. 

“There’s ups and downs for everybody, and I’ve had my share of both,” Tavares said. “I feel like I have a lot left. I’m excited to have got to this point and to continue to push forward. 

“(There has been) a lot of hard work and perseverance, and a lot of fun as well. You love to play this game as a kid and dream about playing in the NHL, and to think that you get to do it for the 1,000th time is pretty remarkable. I don’t take that for granted or lightly. Make the most of each one of those opportunities.”

The next opportunity, against the Capitals, would involve a group effort by the Leafs to forget what happened on Friday night, when they were outplayed and soundly beaten by an Ottawa Senators team that is not going to the playoffs. 

So, yes, there is incentive for Tavares to help get the team back on a solid footing, milestone aside.

A loss against the Caps, who are 6-6-2 in their past 14 games after winning five in a row, would bring the Leafs further discomfort before their final game prior to the break — at home versus the Boston Bruins on Wednesday. 

“You have to go out there and prove it every night,” Tavares said. “We’ve done lots of good things and we have put some really good stretches of hockey together. 

“You face some adversity at times, and you have to respond from it. We’ve built a good team identity … but our game has been a little bit up and down at times over the last couple of weeks.”

Tavares will walk a balance of recognizing his personal feat while remembering it’s just another two points that are on the line.

“Once the puck drops, it’s the same game I’ve been playing for a long time,” Tavares said. “(It’s about) making sure that all those details and what goes into my preparation stays the same.

“It’s a tremendous honour. Hard to put into words, I’m not going to lie. There will be some differences to it, but I want to try to treat it the same like I always have. It’s an important game for us.”

tkoshan@postmedia.com

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